Kingdom (2025 TV series)
British nature documentary television series
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Kingdom is a 2025 British nature documentary series produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit and narrated by David Attenborough. A six-part series, it focuses on four rival animal families—lions, leopards, wild dogs, and hyenas—living in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park in Zambia. Filmed over five years in a single location, the series documents the power struggles, survival, and intertwined fates of these predators.
| Kingdom | |
|---|---|
| |
| Genre | Nature documentary |
| Presented by | David Attenborough |
| Country of origin | United Kingdom |
| Original language | English |
| No. of seasons | 1 |
| No. of episodes | 6 |
| Production | |
| Executive producer | Mike Gunton |
| Producer | Felicity Lanchester (Series Producer)
Mary Melville Jo Harvey Dom Walter Anna Place |
| Running time | 60 minutes |
| Production company | BBC Studios Natural History Unit |
| Original release | |
| Network | BBC One BBC America |
| Release | 9 November – 14 December 2025 |
The series premiered in the United Kingdom on BBC One and BBC iPlayer on 9 November 2025.
Production
Filmed over five years in a single location, the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park in Zambia.[1] the series documents the power struggles, survival, and intertwined fates of four groups predators.[1][2]
The series was commissioned by Jack Bootle and produced by the BBC Studios Natural History Unit in co-production with BBC America.[1] The executive producer is Mike Gunton, with Felicity Lanchester serving as the series producer and Simon Blakeney as series editor.[2]
Kingdom was filmed over a continuous five-year period in the Nsefu sector of South Luangwa National Park, covering an area of 226 square kilometres (87 sq mi).[1] This marked the longest duration the Natural History Unit has ever spent filming in a single location, comprising approximately 1,400 days in the field across 76 shoots.[1] [2] [3]The production team utilized techniques typically associated with dramas.[2]
Families and protagonists
The series follows specific individuals identified by the crew and local scientists:
- Leopards (Olimba and Mutima): The narrative focuses on Olimba, a female leopard who has raised three cubs to independence from different litters. Her daughter, Mutima, is identified by a distinct heart-shaped birthmark; her name means "Heart" in Nyanja.[1]
- Wild Dogs (Storm's Pack): The pack is led by the alpha female, Storm. The production team tracked a lineage of 34 different dogs throughout the filming period. Storm's father was noted as the longest-ruling alpha and longest-living dog recorded in the region, dying at over 12 years old and leaving more than 208 direct descendants.[1]
- Lions (Rita's Pride): The crew used unique whisker spot patterns to identify over 20 individual lions. During filming, the pride grew to include eight cubs, the largest size recorded for this family.[1]
- Hyenas (Tenta's Clan): The series follows the matriarch Tenta and her daughter Tandala, a first-time mother.[1]
Episodes
| No. | Title | Produced by | Original release date | UK viewers (millions) | |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | "Four Crowns, One Kingdom" | Mary Melville | 9 November 2025 | 6.426[4] | |
|
Four rival families—leopards, hyenas, wild dogs, and lions—compete to claim territory in a rich corner of Zambia known as Nsefu. The episode introduces the key protagonists: Storm, the queen of the wild dogs; Rita, the matriarch of the lion pride; Tenta, leader of the hyena clan; and Olimba, a solitary leopard mother.[1] | |||||
| 2 | "Storm's Retreat" | Jo Harvey | 16 November 2025 | 5.348[1] | |
|
The balance of power in Nsefu begins to tip towards the lions. Tensions rise within the leopard family as Mutima's relationship with her mother, Olimba, reaches a breaking point. Meanwhile, the hyena and wild dog families struggle to raise their young amidst the intensifying conflict.[1] | |||||
| 3 | "The Lions Fall" | Dom Walter | 23 November 2025 | 6.007[1] | |
|
Extreme flooding brings disaster to the hyena clan. Fortunes turn against the lions, while the leopard Olimba finds a mate. The young leopard Mutima is forced to leave her mother's territory to fend for herself.[1] | |||||
| 4 | "Flint and the Crocodile" | Anna Place | 30 November 2025 | 4.898[1] | |
|
Storm, the wild dog queen, gives birth to her largest ever litter of pups. Flint, an injured three-legged dog, plays a crucial role in helping to care for them. The leopard Mutima searches for a new home, while the lions face threats from forces beyond their control.[1] | |||||
| 5 | "Olimba's Last Chance" | Dom Walter | 7 December 2025 | 5.097[1] | |
|
In the final chapter of the narrative, Olimba struggles with the effects of old age. The story of the wild dogs takes an unexpected turn. Both the lion and hyena clans experience a baby boom, leading to a final determination of who has the power to rule the kingdom. | |||||
| 6 | "The Secret Story of Kingdom" | Jo Harvey | 14 December 2025 | 4.743[1] | |
|
A "making-of" documentary featuring the production crew and conservationists. The episode highlights the challenges of filming over five years and the work of anti-poaching teams protecting South Luangwa and its inhabitants. | |||||
Reception
The series has been noted for its narrative approach.[2][5] A mixed review in The Guardian concluded: "Repetitive? Perhaps. Awe-inspiring, exhilarating and affecting? Certainly."[6]